Astonishing start
Just got Grand Theft auto V from my local Asda. After an initial 20 min install from disc 1 I’m finally underway, and, well it’s absolutely astounding already! All the previous games’ criticisms about vehicle handling and gunplay have been comprehensively put to bed by Rockstar, and if I find the missions half as exhilarating as the gaming press have over the past few days, I’m sure I’ll be a very happy gamer between now and Christmas.

I’ve laughed out loud half a dozen times already, and just have that feeling that, after 32 years of gaming, at last, I’m playing my perfect video game. And online still to come – the mind absolutely boggles at what that will bring!

All my anguish about which next gen console I’m going to get has just been washed away by this tidal wave of a game. I think I’ve got everything I need for a while now…..

….Rockstar, I salute you!gaztop2511 (gamertag)

No smell
GTA V has landed on my desk. I’ve not loaded it up yet, but the first thing to note is the very shoddy manual. Rather than the usual hefty booklet crammed with amusing features and adverts it’s a flimsy affair giving basic control details and referring folk to the online manual. I’ve no doubt the online thing will be well done, but it’s not the same. It’s not sniffable for a start.Timothy x

Speccy style retro
I’ve just downloaded a game called I Am Level from the Android Play store. It says it’s a free download until the 1st October and it’s a game that could not possibly be any more retro! I’m a 34-year-old gamer and the initial screen bought a huge smile to my face. Better still the app doesn’t want any access to your phone’s features.DevilRed79 (PSN ID/Nintendo ID)

Strange hands
I bought a PS Vita over the weekend and have to say it’s a lovely bit of kit and I’m really enjoying using it but I have a couple of issues. Firstly the analogue sticks should have been higher up where the D-pad and buttons are, as I found my thumbs ached after a short while as I have to keep them at an uncomfortable angle. I bought a grip that clips on that makes it more comfortable but I shouldn’t have to do that or maybe I’ve got weird hands.

The other problem is when using the Web browser. Some sites, like my emails, I can’t enter and on some sites you can’t zoom in on the text but you can on other sites. Maybe I’m doing something wrong or there’s settings I need to adjust, if anyone could help that would be great.rob

Late Topic
Sorry for this ridiculously late entry to worst thing you have done in a game Hot Topic but I have only just done this today. In New Little King’s Story I married my little sister.

In my defence it is one of the nine endings and I was just working my way through each of them but I still think incest is about as immoral as you can get.PazJohnMitch

Don’t talk about it
RE: Not completing BioShock Infinite. I wrote in a while before release regarding my concerns over BioShock tackling religious issues. I bought it a few months back and I played through a bit and I was quite uncomfortable. It really wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and I can’t put my finger on anything especially blasphemous. I still didn’t feel like continuing as I felt like it was just around the corner.

I didn’t write into the Inbox because last time we had a bit of a back and forth. Maybe it was just me being oversensitive, but some people seemed quite quick to be dismissive and disrespectful towards the right to believe in whatever you want to. Obviously that includes the right to not believe in anything except that which can be proven. Just don’t go sticking whatever you may or may not believe down other people’s throats.

It’s fashionable to dismiss religious people as brainwashed idiots who can’t think any further than what they are told, even if it’s in direct contradiction to what they see. The resultant cesspool of festering fanaticism and indoctrination is a breeding ground for evil. I agree with that – you can’t ignore history’s truths. I just don’t want to play a video game about it.

I maintain that religion should be mostly left alone. If you have something genuine to say about it, good or bad or satirical that’s fine. Like Priest or Life of Brian. But if you’re tacking it on to seem edgy, or being inflammatory or outright disrespectful, I can’t agree with that. Think South Park. In fact just looking at those examples I don’t know if have got it the right way round. My comfort level and standards can’t even be properly defined.

GC: Okay… but there’s nothing sacrilegious in the game, just some plot elements that imply criticism of organised religion. Life of Brian is a thousand times more direct in its attacks.

Small print
Just thought this might be worth a write-up for you. If I remember correctly, there will be a lot of 4GB Xbox 360s out there, unable to even play Grand Theft Auto V due to the limited 4GB capacity vs. a 7GB install.

Do you guys think this has even been warned of, or communicated to customers? Or will it be a nasty sting in the tail once the poor buggers get the game home, just to find it was a total waste of cash.Rich

GC: Well, there’s a logo on the front of the box and some very small text on the back indicating the exact amount of space needed. From a legal perspective that’ll absolve Rockstar of responsibility but whether people get caught out we’ll have to wait and see…

You’re the best
I would just like to express my gratitude for the Xbox Live game codes kindly offered by presidentweevil, to GC for acting as the middleman and the other readers who have offered codes up.

There is nothing else on the Web, or in print, that I read every single day and its things like this that compound what a great community GC is.

On less positive note, I am covering a colleague today at work, so will be working a 12 hour shift (I’m on my break now, honest), meaning no GTA V tonight! Which after reading GC’s review is a daunting prospect!To Sirius (gamertag)/To_Sirius (PSN ID)

Inbox also-rans
Whilst it is a case of particularly bad timing, what with the release of a certain life-devouring title this week, I also have a spare code for Animal Crossing if there’s still anybody looking for something to play on their new 3DS. Usual rules if that’s OK GC?LloydieB93 (gamertag/PSN ID/Nintendo ID/Steam ID)

GC: Perfectly okay with us, thank you.

Just wanted to be one of the first few to announce I’ve officially picked up my copy of GTA V here in South Africa. Gonna speed home and start exploring!Shane

God this Inbox is making me depressed as my GTA V hasn’t turned up from ShopTo yet. This is the first time I’ve ever had a problem with them in over two years, but unless it turns up I’ve got to wait 15 days before reporting it as lost or stolen!Fully96

Amazon have yet again let me down… pre-ordered GTA V on 11 Nov 2012… promised release day delivery… and here I am yet again without the game. It happened with Final Fantasy XIII… and now this… they lost a customer today…Chris

I was hoping The Last Of Us would drop in price today…Bll

GC: We’re obviously missing something here but… why today?

This week’s Hot Topic
There’s only one subject on most gamers’ minds at the moment and that’s Grand Theft Auto V. We’ll show your initial reactions to the game’s release in the weekday Inbox but for the weekend we want to know your more considered opinions, from after a few days’ play (so please make it clear where you want your message to be shown).

Has it lived up to the hype for you and how do you think it compares to its predecessors and clones? What’s been your favourite moment so far and what do you think is the game’s best feature? What are you disappointed about how serious an issue do you think it is?

What do you think of the graphics and the scale of the game, and has it changed your expectations for the Xbox and PlayStation 4? Have you enjoyed the story and characters? Are you looking forwards to Grand Theft Auto Online and what are your expectations of that now?